Am I Making too big a deal.....???

[kimmar067]

On a serious note....

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...for all of you who have experienced concierge at AKL, here's a dilemma I am hoping that you may help me with:

I recently sent a letter to "Guest Relations" at WDW, telling them what a wonderful vacation we experienced at AKL, and WDW in general. However, there's a tiny detail that keeps buggin' me. Although the concierge staff was attentive, polite, and helpful [which I stated in the letter], I was never acknowledged by Don of the gift I sent him. I always feel the need to give praise (or reward) where praise is due, so, since I always have come to expect superior service at ANY WDW resort, I always bring a box of gourmet cookies, chocolates, or some other nicety to show my appreciation to the staff, which I usually give them [the staff] near the end of my stay. I did so, once more; it was to be given directly to Don for all his attention to my family's needs. However, not ONCE did I ever meet him in the 6 days we stayed at AKL, nor did I receive a call or message to, not necessarily thank me for the chocolates, but to, at the very least, acknowledge that he DID receive them! Finally, on the last evening of our stay, one of the other concierge staff members said that he got the box of chocolates, but nothing further was mentioned.

Should I be upset, or should I just let it go? After all, I DID take the time to go to the store to purchase it, and then carefully pack it in my luggage so as not to get damaged. A simple "Thanks" would have gone a LONG way!

Okay, rant over.....what are your opinions??
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[shellybaxter]

Well, if you're really asking, I think you're making too big of a deal. It's always nice to receive thanks for gifts given, but that's not the reason to give them. Perhaps Don was busy, perhaps he sent a card that didn't get to you, or something else. If I give a gift it's the giving that I'm pleased about. I'm not needing someone else to say thank you for me to feel good about giving it. Does that make sence? I think it was very nice of you to give a gift and it would have been appropriate for the man to seek you out and say thanks, but I don't feel he "had" to.

Shelly

 

[kimmar067]

...I appreciate your honesty. However, I feel I must, perhaps, clarify myself. I've always given the staff a token of our appreciation during our stays at WDW. They've simply responded by answering "Thank you so much", or "Oh, you didn't have to go through that trouble" or something similar. I've never given my gifts simply to expect a 'thank you'. I feel I've been sincere, and I know how hard the CM's work 'behind the scenes' to make guests' stays that much more special. With Don, the circumstance is a bit different. We have been communicating for several months prior to our AKL visit, via phone conversations and emails. I feel like I know him on a more personal basis, rather than meeting a CM for the first time [on the other side of a check-in counter], so I just felt like I really wanted to meet the person who had done an outstanding job of providing quality service, so I was a little disapppointed when I could not do so. So, when I no longer heard from him, I felt sort 'put off'....

 

[steveanddonna]

kimmar, I don't think you're making too big of a deal, but I don't think you should be upset either. I don't think the CMs at AKL or anywhere else intend any personal slight by not acknowledging gifts. We, too, have sent small gifts to the planning office as well as bringing token gifts with us to give to the CMs who really extend themselves beyond good service and into the arena of great service. The CMs we gift in person always show their appreciation for being acknowledged, but the planning office never has. Since these gifts are a "thank you" to the CMs, we don't expect a thank you in return - that could truly go on forever! As the gifts are shipped to them, however, it would be a good idea for them to acknowledge the receipt of said gifts. I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that either there is some policy that prevents them from doing this or that they are just too busy to acknowledge each gift and thank you. I did have a box go astray once, delivered to the correct resort but without any indication of who it was supposed to go to, so I do tend to worry that it could happen again. That being the case, I make it a point to e-mail them a few weeks after sending something and ask if they did, indeed, receive it. In those cases I have always been subsequently thanked via e-mail.

 

[7th time's a charm]

The idea of a gift is to give, not to be thanked for the giving.

 

[ducklite]

You asked, so I'll tell you. I think you are making a big deal. I generally have some sort of a thank you goft for the concierge as well, and would never expect more than a thank you when I give it to them.

Anne

 

[Tigger Woods]

As a father, I'm used to giving without receiving thanks. I would'nt let it bother you.

 

[disneygoof]

...I always bring a box of gourmet cookies, chocolates, or some other nicety to show my appreciation to the staff, which I usually give them [the staff] near the end of my stay...

I think this sounds like Don might have thought it was a thank you gift, and I think Emily Post would say you don't have to send a thank you for a thank you.

If it helps, I think it was very thoughtful of you and I'm sure it was very much appreciated.

 

[kdtwiss]

maybe whoever was supposed to give it to Don - didn't. People can be like that you know...

 

[webray]

You are making a big deal. I agree with all the others who say..you don't expect to receive a thank you for a thank you.

 

[ReninDetroit]

Perhaps he didn't receive them, or he called and got no answer or he sent a letter that didnt' arrive.

I think it's highly unlikely that he didn't respond on purpose. Probably just an innocent mistake (he forgot, etc)

 

[patsal]

I think you may be making too much of it--imagine if we all said thank you for the thank you--Hallmark would love it but you'd never be able to shovel out the papers in your house!JMHO

 

[NCombs]

I agree with the consensus and think you are making too big a deal of it. Like many have said, I don't expect a thank you for a thank you.

I'm glad you had a great visit.

 

[kimmar067]

...how 'bout THIS:

Send a brief email, stating our thanks and gratitude for all he [Don] and the staff had done, and, casually mention if he enjoyed the chocolates??? (this way I can be sure if he did, in fact, receive them!)

 

[Lewisc]

...how 'bout THIS:

Send a brief email, stating our thanks and gratitude for all he [Don] and the staff had done, and, casually mention if he enjoyed the chocolates??? (this way I can be sure if he did, in fact, receive them!)

You previously posted

one of the other concierge staff members said that he got the box of chocolates, but nothing further was mentioned

You can send the email if you want but I'd just drop it. The chocolates were enjoyed by the concierge staff even if Don dosen't specifically remember you're the one who dropped them of.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

...how 'bout THIS:

Send a brief email, stating our thanks and gratitude for all he [Don] and the staff had done, and, casually mention if he enjoyed the chocolates??? (this way I can be sure if he did, in fact, receive them!)

Oh my word, just let it go!!! I can guarantee you someone enjoyed them if he didn't.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I'd recommend dropping it. What will you do if, by some chance, a response comes back that Don didn't receive the gift or doesn't remember it? Time to let it go.

 

[DaisyLou2]

I agree. It's time to move on!

 

[ROBIN4NY]

This is just an outsiders opinion but you sound like a very thoughtful person and your only crime is that you expect people to be as thoughtful as you are.And even though they did'nt mean to slight you it does'nt mean you can't be disappointed.(After all that planning and corresponding I too would have expected to meet Don.)

 

[poohluvrs]

Sounds like you're upset that you never saw him on your visit...but you liked him enough beforehand to bring a thank you for him, I would leave it at that - he helped you and you thanked him, and must've had a great trip, right?! I wouldn't waste a nother moment on it, start using your free time to plan your next trip